Till This Night
by Bohemian Spitshine
Summary: A newsboy sneaks into a ball at the rich Casulent's mansion. When he meets Julia they immediately fall in love. But will their extreme social difference keep them apart? A retelling of the Classic story of Romeo and Juliet. Worth your read!
1. Chapter 1

TILL THIS NIGHT  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is based upon the tale of Romeo and Juliet. Please don't complain about the two characters falling in love too fast, it's what happens in the play. And also, please don't review telling me how similar this story is to Romeo and Juliet, it's supposed to be. I just had to get those notes out, so now, on with the story! I hope you enjoy! : )  
  
_CHAPTER 1_  
  
Our story begins on an ordinary day in the not so ordinary household of the Casulents. Mr. Jacob Casulent is indeed one of the richest people in all of New York city, seeing as he was the son of a Philadelphian steel tycoon. It is tradition, that when one of these rich families has something to celebrate they hold a huge party in their grand ballroom. What better a thing to celebrate than their daughter Julia's 17th birthday?  
  
Julia Casulent was not any normal rich girl, for while she had been given anything her heart desired, she had never turned spoiled. She was a kind and gentle girl whose innocence and grace was that of a swan's. Naturally, such a girl would have an admirer of sorts.  
  
This is where Paul comes in. Paul Corey is a young, wealthy man who has had his eye on Julia for the past year or so, though they have never even met. In fact, he loves her so much that he has asked Mr. And Mrs. Casulent for her hand in marriage. So there was a second reason for having a party, Julia was to meet her soon to be husband, even though she did not know that those were her parents' intentions.  
  
Nurse Appleby, Julia's caretaker since she was a wee baby, gently brushed Julia's thick hair. "My darling, your parents have wanted me to ask you, what type of party do you desire to have?" Julia smiled as her face lit up.  
  
"I would like a costume ball, like the one Margaret Pulitzer hosted last year! It was most wonderful, don't you agree?" Julia said, her eyes widening excitedly. Nurse Appleby nodded and laughed lightly.  
  
"Of course, Julia. I shall go tell your parents at once." 


	2. Chapter 2

TILL THIS NIGHT  
  
_CHAPTER 2_  
  
"Hey Marky-boy, catch!" yelled Tony Casulent as he threw a rock towards the newsboy. Mark glared at him, dropping his newspapers to holding his arm where the rock had hit.  
  
"Get away from him, Tony!" Ben cried as he jumped onto Tony's back, allowing Mark to punch him one good. Tony used all of his strength and launched Ben of his back, then slugged Mark and ran off down the street. Ben held is stomach and rolled around on the ground.  
  
"Ohhh.that didn't feel good." He said. Mark spit on the ground, wiping blood from his mouth and bending down to pick up his papers.  
  
"At least we showed that Casulent, did you see him run?" Mark said with a slight smile. Just then, Mark felt a hand on his back. It was his good friend, Roberto. "Hey Robber! How's it going, cuz?" Mark said.  
  
Roberto frowned. "You've been fighting again, haven't you? The Casulents, I suppose?" Ben nodded, getting up on his feet. Roberto sighed. "It's getting late, guys. What say we head on back to the Lodging house?" Mark and Roberto let Ben regroup himself for a moment, then the three newsboys headed on down the street.  
  
After a few minutes of walking, they stopped in front of a huge, white mansion with gold window sills and a coal black roof. The front doors were being held open, and strangely dressed people were going inside.  
  
"The Casulents must be having a costume party," Ben said.  
  
Mark smiled wickedly. "How about we go and join them? They'll never be able to know we're really newsies, we can say it's just our costumes! We'll have to stay away from Tony, though. But hey, it'll be a blast!"  
  
Roberto thought this over for a moment, then smiled. "What the heck, we don't have anything else to do tonight!" And with that they headed off into the Casulent Mansion. 


	3. Chapter 3

TILL THIS NIGHT  
  
_CHAPTER 3_  
  
"Welcome, young sirs, to the Casulent's Costumed Celebration!" said the butler as he held the door for the three newsies. "And by the way, nice costumes." Roberto, Mark, and Ben grinned from ear to ear. Their plan was working! Wait until the guys back at the lodging house heard they crashed a Casulent party.  
  
...........  
  
"Julia, dear, you look absolutely divine! After you've had a look-see in the mirror, why don't you come on downstairs? There's a certain young man your parents would like you to meet," Nurse Appleby said with a grin as she headed out of Julia's bedroom.  
  
Julia stood from her chair and walked over to her full mirror. She was lost in thought as she looked at her beautiful gown. She was going to her costume party as a medieval princess. Julia smiled and smoothed out her dress. This was going to be her best birthday ever!  
  
"And her she is, Paul! Isn't she marvelous?" Mr. Casulent said as his daughter made her way down the stairs and to the center of the ballroom where her parents stood next to a quite attractive young man.  
  
"Hello, fair Julia. I am Paul Corey. It is such a pleasure to finnally meet you. You look absolutely splendid tonight!" Paul said, taking her hand and kissing it. Julia smiled sweetly, then turned to her parents and gave them a death-glare. She gritted her teeth and whispered to her parents.  
  
"I told you not to set me up with anyone, when I want love I'll find it!" Julia then turned back to Paul and smiled again. "Excuse me for leaving you so suddenly, but I'm feeling somewhat faint. I'm going to visit the powder room for a moment." She said, eager to escape her parents and their new- found wedding trap for her. Julia smiled and hurried up the stairs.  
  
...........  
  
Roberto gazed around the grand ballroom. It was amazing in here! Man, this is like living like a king, he thought. But his thinking was cut short when he noticed Tony glaring at him from across the room and heading towards him. Roberto started walking quickly to the other end of the ballroom, standing casually by the punch table, but Tony kept following him. He started heading into the crowd of dancers, and began dancing his way up the steps until he lost all sight of Tony. 


	4. Chapter 4

TILL THIS NIGHT  
  
_CHAPTER 4_  
  
Roberto leaned against a wall, breathing heavily. Finally Tony had stopped following him. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and went to the rail of the mahogany staircase. Uh oh, he thought, Tony's still watchin' me. Roberto turned and hurried down to the end of the large hall. There was a red, wooden door with a gold doorknob. He quickly threw the door open and stumbled inside, but to his surprise, he ran into something and had knocked it over... and he was now lying on it.  
  
The door closed behind him and he opened his eyes to see what he had landed on. Staring right back up at him were a pair of bright, blue eyes. They were the most gorgeous eyes he'd ever seen. He continued to stare at what he had fallen on, now focusing on milky-white skin and golden hair that shined like the sun.  
  
Julia stared into the eyes of this strange young man who had knocked her down. He was certainly a handsome fellow, for she could hardly breath as she gazed up at his face.  
  
Then, Roberto spoke. "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!  
  
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night..." Julia's rose red lips grew into a smile as she heard these words from his mouth.  
  
"Shakespeare...He's my favorite author," Julia said, breathlessly.  
  
"Mine too."  
  
The two teens gazed into each others eyes...knowing they had fallen in love.  
  
"Is it really possible?" Julia whispered.  
  
Roberto nodded and smiled. "As sure as the sun rises in the morning..." He gently pressed his lips to hers.  
  
"Julia!" cried the voice of Nurse Appleby from downstairs. "Your mother wishes for you to come back down!" Roberto and Julia pulled their lips apart and smiled, then stood.  
  
"Julia...what a beautiful name. I'm Roberto, but my friend's call me Robber," said Roberto, brushing his brown hair out of his eyes. Julia frowned slightly.  
  
"Why do they call you Robber?" she asked. Roberto looked away, then back to Julia, about to speak. She placed a finger on his lips. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore except us..." Julia wrapped her arms around his neck and once more, they kissed.  
  
Suddenly, Mr. and Mrs. Casulent burst into the room, followed by Tony. "Julia Marie Casulent! What in heavens name are you doing, child?" her father yelled, anger rising with his voice. Roberto and Julia broke their kiss and turned, holding hands, to see who had entered. Tony glared at Roberto with thick hatred.  
  
"It's a street rat kissing my sister! He snuck in with his friends to our party!" Tony yelled. Mrs. Casulent wailed and fainted into her husband's arms. Julia dropped Roberto's hand and stared up at him. The only man she had ever loved.her family's own enemy? Roberto stared back at Julia with disbelief. She was a Casulent?  
  
"I'll get rid of you, Robber!" Tony said as he roughly pulled Roberto out of the door. Julia stood, helpless, in the middle of the room, staring after her Roberto. Then she glared up at her parents and stormed out of the room.  
  
"This'll teach you to come around here again!" Tony yelled, throwing Roberto a hard punch, then literally kicking him out of the house. Roberto landed with a thud on top of his two friends Mark and Ben.  
  
"You get kicked out, too Robber?" Ben asked.  
  
Mark sighed and stood. "Let's ditch this place, come on guys." He said. Ben stood too and followed Mark off down the street, leaving Roberto staring up at the building. 


End file.
